Airspeed sensor and method for operating an airspeed sensor
AssigneeE+E Elektronik Ges.M.B.H.
InventorGerhard Nikolaus
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an air-velocity sensor and a method for operating an air-velocity sensor, the air-velocity sensor includes a temperature sensor arranged in an air flow and sequential electronics. The sequential electronics are used to cyclically impinge upon the temperature sensor with a define heat output and to determine the temperature rise time required by the temperature sensor to heat up to a given temperature difference after being impinged upon with the heat output. Temperature measurements are performed at a defined measuring frequency. The velocity of the air flow is determined on the basis of temperature rise time.
Claims23
An air-velocity sensor, comprising:
- a temperature sensor configured to be arranged in an air flow;
- and
- sequential electronics configured to cyclically apply a predetermined heating power to the temperature sensor and to determine a heating time required by the temperature sensor to heat up by a predetermined temperature difference after being acted upon by the heating power, the sequential electronics configured to perform a regular temperature measurement at a predetermined temperature measuring frequency to determine the heating time, the temperature measuring frequency selected as a function of a flow velocity of the air flow and adapted to the flow velocity during a continuous measuring operation, the flow velocity determinable from the heating time.
A method for operating an air-velocity sensor, the air-velocity sensor including a temperature sensor arranged in an air flow, and sequential electronics, comprising:
- cyclically acting upon the temperature sensor by a predetermined heating power by the sequential electronics;
- determining by the sequential electronics a heating time required by the temperature sensor to heat up by an amount of a predefined temperature difference after being acted upon by the heating power, including performing a regular temperature measurement by the sequential electronics at a predetermined temperature measuring frequency to determine the heating time;
- determining a flow velocity of the air flow from the heating time;
- and
- selecting the temperature measuring frequency as a function of the flow velocity and adapting the temperature measuring frequency to the current velocity during a continuous measuring operation.
An air-velocity sensor, comprising:
- a temperature sensing means configured to be arranged in an air flow;
- and
- sequential electronics means for cyclically applying a predetermined heating power to the temperature sensor and for determining a heating time required by the temperature sensor to heat up by a predetermined temperature difference after being acted upon by the heating power, the sequential electronics means for performing a regular temperature measurement at a predetermined temperature measuring frequency to determine the heating time, the temperature measuring frequency selected as a function of a flow velocity of the air flow and adapted to the flow velocity during a continuous measuring operation, the flow velocity determinable from the heating time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.